2025 Draft Night Picks Discussion

[BobbieL]

I would not be so worried about it IF Booker was TRULY a franchise player. A leader and pillar in the community. Leads this team to success. Leads by example. (Basically if he acted and conducted business like Larry Fitzgerald).

But Booker is barely an All-Star. Two of his all-Star appearances were injury replacement selections. Then this year when he played like trash and didn’t even get close to being considered he bitched and complained and blamed the league for his piss poor play and why he didn’t get selected. He’s never been voted in by fans (not that it matters but he doesn’t have national pull and that’s evident).

Wasting $70 freaking million of a borderline star is insanity and idiocracy.

33% from threes
52.5% from twos
46% FG% overall

I personally would have waited at least one more year to prove last year wasn't an anomaly. Ishbia is a Booker "Stan" it seems

Ishbia is just trying to keep a home grown talent on the team. He's the franchise leader in scoring and by the time he's through, he'll probably have some other accolades to go with it. While trading Booker might make sense from a teambuilding perspective, it doesn't make sense from a public relations thing and fans are fickle in that regard. They very often have absolutely no consideration for the bigger picture and that sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good, survival of the team, and remaining competitive.

I obviously am in the latter. When the Padres traded Ozzie Smith for Garry Templeton - I was so ticked. Granted, I was a kid. But have learned, its about W's and L's...
So I don't need Booker on the team to feel good. And both Booker and Durant "stans" are a different level to me.

[SkyBill40]

33% from threes
52.5% from twos
46% FG% overall

I personally would have waited at least one more year to prove last year wasn't an anomaly. Ishbia is a Booker "Stan" it seems

Ishbia is just trying to keep a home grown talent on the team. He's the franchise leader in scoring and by the time he's through, he'll probably have some other accolades to go with it. While trading Booker might make sense from a teambuilding perspective, it doesn't make sense from a public relations thing and fans are fickle in that regard. They very often have absolutely no consideration for the bigger picture and that sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good, survival of the team, and remaining competitive.

I obviously am in the latter. When the Padres traded Ozzie Smith for Garry Templeton - I was so ticked. Granted, I was a kid. But have learned, its about W's and L's...
So I don't need Booker on the team to feel good. And both Booker and Durant "stans" are a different level to me.

As a Padres fan since my childhood, I feel you. It's hard to think how things would have turned out for him and the team had they not made that trade.

[sunsbum]

I fully agree that the parameters of the deal as absurd; however, this is merely the way it is now as escalating salary creep has destroyed the league and the flexibility teams used to have with the cap. I'm all for players getting paid, but some of this just boggles the mind. And while the NBAP would never agree to it, I think they should reduce the scale of percentage against the cap. As of now, this is where we are:

Players with 10+ years of experience: Can sign for up to 35% of the salary cap.
Players with 7-9 years of experience: Can sign for up to 30% of the salary cap.
Players with 4-6 years of experience: Can sign for up to 25% of the salary cap.

Shave 5% off each tier and call it a day.

I would not be so worried about it IF Booker was TRULY a franchise player. A leader and pillar in the community. Leads this team to success. Leads by example. (Basically if he acted and conducted business like Larry Fitzgerald).

But Booker is barely an All-Star. Two of his all-Star appearances were injury replacement selections. Then this year when he played like trash and didn’t even get close to being considered he bitched and complained and blamed the league for his piss poor play and why he didn’t get selected. He’s never been voted in by fans (not that it matters but he doesn’t have national pull and that’s evident).

Wasting $70 freaking million of a borderline star is insanity and idiocracy.

33% from threes
52.5% from twos
46% FG% overall

I personally would have waited at least one more year to prove last year wasn't an anomaly. Ishbia is a Booker "Stan" it seems

his stats from previous years show it was an outlier, the eye test showed it was an outlier. The fit was awful, the chemistry was awful. Of course you know all this. It’s just another day in the diary of BobbyL. Very excited to see this young team led by Booker.

[sunsbum]

The funny thing is I don’t even really think there’s Booker “Stans” here, I just think you’re so over the top obsessed with him and his money it just constantly swirls in your head every day, every hour and anyone that disagrees with your stance is deemed a Booker super fan.

[phnart]

I haven’t trusted the Suns ability to draft a big man since Armon “The Hammer” Gilliam.

As far as hammers go, how would you compare arm n hammer (armon "hammer" Gilliam) to the polish hammer?? ( Marcin Gortat)?

Hindsight being 20/20, I'd take Gortat then MC Hammer then Sledge Hammer then Armon. I'd definitely take the bands, Hammerhead and Demolition Hammer, as well, before Armon.

To hammer home a point, that is.

[Puff]

Read on Twitter

Good for Devin to get the bag - I am not blaming him one bit for signing the extension
I just am not sure whats the rush but so be it

I think the direction of team so time for DBook to ball out , lead this team and play hard

I liked the picks, dont like the Mark W overpay. Hoping we can move Greyson and Richards for picks.

Where's that Spurs troll? I actually like Greyson to them as they have no shooting on that team now. Castle/Fox/Vassel all arent good from range and Harper isn't much better. Grayson fits that team fantastically.

Also with Masai Ugari leaving the Raptors, makes me wish we could've gotten him. He wouldn't have signed on to be Ishbia's yes man so I guess its whatever.

Other than the one year rental of Kawhi what has this guy accomplished?

Where is Masai headed?

Even a skeptic has to be somewhat impressed with the first draft the Suns have had with the new alignment. What the new alignment does with Beal will be interesting.

[sunsbum]

brandon kleen is so **** insufferable. Sorry, just listening to his podcast, he literally thinks he knows everything and talks down to his poor cohost constantly.

[Sunsdeuce]

brandon kleen is so **** insufferable. Sorry, just listening to his podcast, he literally thinks he knows everything and talks down to his poor cohost constantly.

Who, in the blue hell, is Brandon Kleen?

[BobbieL]

Good for Devin to get the bag - I am not blaming him one bit for signing the extension
I just am not sure whats the rush but so be it

I think the direction of team so time for DBook to ball out , lead this team and play hard

I liked the picks, dont like the Mark W overpay. Hoping we can move Greyson and Richards for picks.

Where's that Spurs troll? I actually like Greyson to them as they have no shooting on that team now. Castle/Fox/Vassel all arent good from range and Harper isn't much better. Grayson fits that team fantastically.

Also with Masai Ugari leaving the Raptors, makes me wish we could've gotten him. He wouldn't have signed on to be Ishbia's yes man so I guess its whatever.

Other than the one year rental of Kawhi what has this guy accomplished?

Where is Masai headed?

Even a skeptic has to be somewhat impressed with the first draft the Suns have had with the new alignment. What the new alignment does with Beal will be interesting.

Masai and Riley are very similar these days. Both like to put out that they might make a trade but never pull the trigger. And like Ujiri with Siakam - he didn't get that much - basically a couple late FRPs. But how many times did we hear that Toronto was interested but he never pulled the trigger. Even Durant last week - didn't want to include Poeltl. Well a trade isn't happening

[sunsbum]

brandon kleen is so **** insufferable. Sorry, just listening to his podcast, he literally thinks he knows everything and talks down to his poor cohost constantly.

Who, in the blue hell, is Brandon Kleen?

locked on suns podcast. I'm sure youve seen GOK and a few other members retweet his stuff.

[Sunsdeuce]

brandon kleen is so **** insufferable. Sorry, just listening to his podcast, he literally thinks he knows everything and talks down to his poor cohost constantly.

Who, in the blue hell, is Brandon Kleen?

locked on suns podcast. I'm sure youve seen GOK and a few other members retweet his stuff.

Oh ok. Podcasters are just fans trying to get attention. Never got into them, especially local sports podcasts. I get more out of people here and their/your info. People like you and the other people here have more info than some attention needy sports fans looking for attention. I think I have been on this forum for almost two decades now. Sometimes I’m very interactive and sometimes not very active for periods of time.

But point is, this place has given more insight and information over the last 10-15 years than any other source or attention needy local fans. We don’t always agree and people seem to get so heated at each other sometimes but it’s fun and I don’t take it personal.

[King4Day]

Finally letting go of Bol Bol. He was just a gimmick. There's a reason he can't get consistent minutes on any team. But it was weird seeing so many people demand he plays when he was obviously not very good and had one of the worst bball IQs I've seen.

He had his moments. I think is more odd that when he was playing well, both coaches didn't explore it more.
But overall you are probably right. Some teams need a gimmick

[sunsbum]

Who, in the blue hell, is Brandon Kleen?

locked on suns podcast. I'm sure youve seen GOK and a few other members retweet his stuff.

Oh ok. Podcasters are just fans trying to get attention. Never got into them, especially local sports podcasts. I get more out of people here and their/your info. People like you and the other people here have more info than some attention needy sports fans looking for attention. I think I have been on this forum for almost two decades now. Sometimes I’m very interactive and sometimes not very active for periods of time.

But point is, this place has given more insight and information over the last 10-15 years than any other source or attention needy local fans. We don’t always agree and people seem to get so heated at each other sometimes but it’s fun and I don’t take it personal.

I think we have some great posters here (I don't really consider myself one of them! I'm like the color commentary no one asked for lol) theres a few other places I visit from time to time but I always check in here pretty much daily. Sometimes I wish someone from this board would start a bi-weekly podcast or somthing like that but thats a big commitment.

[sunsbum]

Finally letting go of Bol Bol. He was just a gimmick. There's a reason he can't get consistent minutes on any team. But it was weird seeing so many people demand he plays when he was obviously not very good and had one of the worst bball IQs I've seen.

He had his moments. I think is more odd that when he was playing well, both coaches didn't explore it more.
But overall you are probably right. Some teams need a gimmick

I feel like hes another DA type to the fans "if only this certain circumstance was different he'd be great" maybe hes just mid, and thats ok. when youve been in the league 5 years doing the same thing, it is what it is.

[Sunsdeuce]

locked on suns podcast. I'm sure youve seen GOK and a few other members retweet his stuff.

Oh ok. Podcasters are just fans trying to get attention. Never got into them, especially local sports podcasts. I get more out of people here and their/your info. People like you and the other people here have more info than some attention needy sports fans looking for attention. I think I have been on this forum for almost two decades now. Sometimes I’m very interactive and sometimes not very active for periods of time.

But point is, this place has given more insight and information over the last 10-15 years than any other source or attention needy local fans. We don’t always agree and people seem to get so heated at each other sometimes but it’s fun and I don’t take it personal.

I think we have some great posters here (I don't really consider myself one of them! I'm like the color commentary no one asked for lol) theres a few other places I visit from time to time but I always check in here pretty much daily. Sometimes I wish someone from this board would start a bi-weekly podcast or somthing like that but thats a big commitment.

That would be cool. Where we could get involved. Would love a live stream discussion here. That would be a cool feature realgm could add.

[RaisingArizona]

locked on suns podcast. I'm sure youve seen GOK and a few other members retweet his stuff.

Oh ok. Podcasters are just fans trying to get attention. Never got into them, especially local sports podcasts. I get more out of people here and their/your info. People like you and the other people here have more info than some attention needy sports fans looking for attention. I think I have been on this forum for almost two decades now. Sometimes I’m very interactive and sometimes not very active for periods of time.

But point is, this place has given more insight and information over the last 10-15 years than any other source or attention needy local fans. We don’t always agree and people seem to get so heated at each other sometimes but it’s fun and I don’t take it personal.

I think we have some great posters here (I don't really consider myself one of them! I'm like the color commentary no one asked for lol) theres a few other places I visit from time to time but I always check in here pretty much daily. Sometimes I wish someone from this board would start a bi-weekly podcast or somthing like that but thats a big commitment.

if i did i would never say anything because most of you are way too mean

[BobbieL]

The funny thing is I don’t even really think there’s Booker “Stans” here, I just think you’re so over the top obsessed with him and his money it just constantly swirls in your head every day, every hour and anyone that disagrees with your stance is deemed a Booker super fan.

Wrong. There are Booker stans
Espo, Stephen and Erik Ruby are perfect examples - from PHNX_SUNS --- as they cannot fathom that the team could get better by trading Booker. It is not even a thought. Flex - cannot fathom the team could get better by trading Booker. I see it on twitter and social media - Booker has an elevated status and people think Booker "deserves" to be on the Suns because he wants to be on the Suns. Is the goal to appease Devin Booker or win a title.

And yes, as aChargers fan, -- if the team could get better trading Herbert, I would be open to it. I get its the NFL and contracts are different. But there aren't too many players that should be untouchable.

[Sunsdeuce]

https://www.rawchili.com/nba/129712/

“CJ Huntley spent all five seasons of his college basketball career playing for Appalachian State.

He finished this past year with productive averages of 15.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest while shooting 49.3% from the field and 35.6% from the three-point range in 31 games.

On Thursday night, Huntley went undrafted.

However, he will now sign a deal with the Phoenix Suns (according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony).

Via Givony: “Appalachian State’s CJ Huntley has agreed to a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns, a source told ESPN.

Huntley had a strong pre-draft process that started with an impactful performance at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.”

Appalachian State’s CJ Huntley has agreed to a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns, a source told ESPN.

Huntley had a strong pre-draft process that started with an impactful performance at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. pic.twitter.com/QkV8zHo9ji

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 27, 2025”

[Sunsdeuce]

More info on Huntley:

Huntley played all five collegiate seasons at App State, improving almost every year. In 2024/25, he averaged 15.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and shot 49.3% from the field and 35.6% from three. He’s a 6’10” forward, giving Phoenix a potential developmental stretch big.

Info on two way contracts:
Phoenix has no players currently signed to two-way deals, so they’ll have two more spots to fill if they so choose. Collin Gillespie, Jalen Bridges and TyTy Washington closed the 2024/25 season on two-way deals with Phoenix, but will all be free agents.

[sunsbum]

The funny thing is I don’t even really think there’s Booker “Stans” here, I just think you’re so over the top obsessed with him and his money it just constantly swirls in your head every day, every hour and anyone that disagrees with your stance is deemed a Booker super fan.

Wrong. There are Booker stans
Espo, Stephen and Erik Ruby are perfect examples - from PHNX_SUNS --- as they cannot fathom that the team could get better by trading Booker. It is not even a thought. Flex - cannot fathom the team could get better by trading Booker. I see it on twitter and social media - Booker has an elevated status and people think Booker "deserves" to be on the Suns because he wants to be on the Suns. Is the goal to appease Devin Booker or win a title.

And yes, as aChargers fan, -- if the team could get better trading Herbert, I would be open to it. I get its the NFL and contracts are different. But there aren't too many players that should be untouchable.

Oh, I'm talking about on this board.